How To Be Single In 2010

In celebration of National Singles Week, here's YourTango's guide to single life.

What up, single readers? This week, we'd like to throw you an extra bit of love, in celebration of National Unmarried & Single Americans Week. That's right. This week, all of the 82 million single and unmarried adults in the United States are encouraged to revel in their singledom, and in all of the freedom and awesomeness that their single status affords them. (We love this because—honestly?—marriage shouldn't be seen as the be all, end all for everyone.) So. Just for you, we've rounded up some of our best posts on the single life, whether you're looking for ways to take advantage of your singledom, looking to find love or just looking to be be assured that you're not alone. (Because, obviously, you're not.)

1. What To Love About Being Single: Not all smug marrieds are... well... smug. Even those who have been happily married for years sometimes look back wistfully on the things they were able to do before they coupled up for good. Written by a recently married writer, this post mentions just some of the advantages to singlehood that you should never take for granted.

2. Single Life: 7 Ways To Stay Positive About Dating: Oh, dating. It can be a fun-making adventure or a despair-inducing horror. But at least the horror stories can make for some good laughs later on... right? Right?? Dating blogger Simone Grant thinks so and, in this post, she lists seven different ways to keep smiling along the road to true love (or at least a good fling).

3. Why It's Better To Be Single During The Holidays: We've started wearing tights and cardigans again so, obviously, the holidays are right around the corner! Which is why you'll find this post on being single during the holidays especially helpful. Revel in the fact that you'll end up with more money in your wallet, more French kisses under the mistletoe and more silent nights.

4. How To Meet Single Men And Women: In this episode of YourTango's newest video series—The Final Word—we asked several love and dating experts how the perpetually single should go about finding love. Click on over for the experts' great ideas!

5. Flying Solo: Top Single Girl Getaways: The single life is often about finding someone to make you un-single. Why not take advantage of the time you have to devote to friends—and go on a girls-only vacation? Because, while you shouldn't abandon your gal pals once you're coupled up, it does become increasingly difficult to find the time for everyone once you throw regular date nights into the mix. Check out these rather awesome-sounding getaways for girls only.

6. Why Am I Still Single?It's a question on so many women's lips. The answer? Amazingly, it's one that applies to everyone. In this post, we explore how our culture's new outlook on the necessity of relationships affects our ability to to find one that sticks.

7. How To Enjoy Being Single: Do you feel as if you're the last single woman standing in your close group of friends? That's not necessarily a bad thing. In this piece, a number of women reveal that—while they're still open to eventual love—their unattached status doesn't bother them anymore. Click through to find out why, and perhaps their enthusiasm for the single life will rub off on you!

8. 7 Things All Single Women Need: While there's no easy way to add "good taste" or "magnetic charisma" to your dating toolbox, there are seven items you should always carry with you when negotiating the minefield that is the process of finding a man. Among them? A romance pro/con list and a ready stash of cab fare. Click through for more.

9. Is Looking For A Soul Mate Keeping You Single?It could be that holding out for your "soul mate" is keeping you from finding "the one." Because... well... does "the one" even really exist? Read this one woman's account of how she had to give up on it in order to find true love.

10. Single And Looking? Consider These Cities: Then again, it could be your location that's keeping you from a lifetime of love. Click through to find the 10 best cities for the unhitched, chosen based upon such factors as cost of living, unemployment rate and more.

11. Single And Getting Older? Why You Shouldn't Worry: One of the reasons so women become desperate to settle down is the deafening loudness of their biological clocks. But these days, women are (successfully) having children later and later. Should we really be in such a hurry to hook up?

13. 5 Things Men Love About Being Single: We're generalizing here, but men seem to have an uncanny ability to hold onto their bachelorhood with a death grip that won't quit, while women continuously bemoan their single status. What's the source of this huge gender disconnect? In this post, a confirmed bachelor reveals the five best things about being single.

14. How To Stay Single In 2010: Been single for far too long? This piece could hold the key to why. Because if you're doing any of the items on this nine-point list, you're only making it harder to find love. Acting desperate? Contacting him every other hour, on the hour? Keeping him on a tight leash? The key to sustaining a relationship may lie in changing your bad habits.

15. 20 Single Habits To Keep When You're In Love: For all the non-singles reading this piece, it would do you well to avoid becoming so engulfed in your relationship that you lose your friends, your self-identity and your independence. Check out this piece for 20 things to keep on keeping on with, including pizza and reality TV night with your BFFs, karaoke with your colleagues, and a few precious nights alone.